Eternal Alliance: EXTENDED
by JohnPeacekeeper
Summary: A series of OV--oneshots which take place after 'SnS: Eternal Alliance'.
1. An All Too Familiar Tale

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Shakugan no Shana_. If I did, we'd be seeing Hecate a lot more often.

**Note: **It'll take quite some while until I sort out the plot for the next installment of the _Eternity_ series. But one thing's for sure, it'll have so much plot that there won't be much room for fillers. So I'll be putting most of the fillers in here. Hope you enjoy your appetisers!

**Note: **The following oneshots won't be in any particular chronological order. This first oneshot takes place between the victory against the Mouth of Power and Mastan and the epilogue of _Eternal Alliance_.

**Note: **Sorry if this first oneshot seems a bit rushed, because it is. XD

Please review! And Merry Christmas!! This is my gift to you this year.

* * *

For Sydonay, it was just another week, but to everyone else in Misaki City, it was Christmas time.

The Crimson Lord strolled through the streets with a lit cigarette in his mouth. Snow fell like light rain. Cheery decorations hung everywhere. All around him people greeted one another with genuine happiness and joy. Men and women, young and old, ran around town hunting for gifts. Families walked hand in hand together with big smiles on their faces. Once, he even encountered a small group of singing carolers all dressed up in cheery holiday outfits.

Despite all the mirth around him, Sydonay just put his hands in his pockets with a smirk as he continued walking onwards.

* * *

_**An All Too Familiar Tale

* * *

**_

Inside Sereiden, most of the humans, Flame Haze, Denizens and Rinne within bustled around, rushing to prepare food and place decorations for a Christmas party they would be having later that week. Wilhelmina, Chigusa and Pheles worked in the kitchen along with some other humans. Margery, Keisaku, Eita and Ogata helped out with the Denizens and Flame Haze with their decorations. Johan, Kantaro and Ike, who although was not part of the Alliance yet, supervised everything. And Shana, Yuji, Hecate, Dantalion and several others worked on the largest hall in the palace.

"Will you just look around you?" Alastor said while Shana took a melonbread break. "I never thought a place like this could be so filled with warmth and cheer."

"To think we'll be celebrating in the base of the organization that ruined our last two Christmases," Shana said.

Yuji chuckled. "Kinda makes you wonder how Bal Masque spent holidays like this in the past," he said.

"We didn't," Hecate told him as she picked up a large gold star and flew up to the top of a massive Christmas tree in the center of the hall. "This is the first real Christmas in Sereiden."

"Then you must be really happy," Yuji said.

A faint smile appeared on Hecate's lips.

Yuji glanced at Shana, who stood beside him. She, as well as Hecate, were dressed in cute bright red Santa suits.

"Did I mention how cute the two of you look in those costumes?" said the Mystes.

"Only around five times," said Alastor. "But I have to agree with you."

Shana blushed as red as a tomato.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

As Hecate placed the final decoration to the tree, the star, and descended, Yuji rubbed his hands together.

"Try not to charge up too much electricity, or the tree will burn down," Shana advised the Mystes.

"Don't worry, I've been practicing my control with Hecate," Yuji responded as he generated a calculated amount of voltage in one hand. "Around 0.00001% of my power should be enough to keep this lit for a while."

The Mystes approached a metallic box--which was some sort of battery and adapter of Dantalion's design--beneath the tree and carefully chanelled the electricity into it. As he did, the tree lit up with an array of bright lights, completely illuminating the room and filling the people around with even more warmth.

"It's great, isn't it?" Yuji said as he wrapped an arm around Shana.

"And best of all, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ELECTRIC BILLLLLLLL!" Dantalion yell as he suddenly appeared behind Shana. His overactive scream was quickly followed by a backhanded punch over Shana's shoulder into his face.

"Yes, it is," said the Flame Haze.

A moment later, Sydonay entered the hall. Rather than being touched by the cheer, he made a solemn expression and turned to leave. Hecate stopped him.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I still have some work to do," Sydonay replied.

"C'mon Sydonay, lend a hand," Yuji said cheerfully. "Besides, my mom took all the keys to the council chamber and record rooms. This is the time of year to enjoy and have fun."

"How can I possibly enjoy it?" Sydonay said as he turned back to the Mystes. "Every single year I'm stuck 'celebrating' Christmas with that freak."

He pointed to Dantalion, who hung from the ceiling with several mechanical arms which hung decorations in various places, although some of the décor he had placed were also upside-down. The Seeking Researcher was also singing a Christmas tune with horrible tone.

"At least he knows how to have fun," Shana said with a light frown.

"But this year isn't like all the others," Yuji reasoned. "For one thing, you're not going to be fighting anyone. And you have a lot of real friends to celebrate with, like my dad."

Sydonay shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, but I still don't feel any reason to celebrate," he said before leaving.

As he left, Hecate watched him, the closest person she ever had to a father-figure, with concern. "He needs help," she said as she looked to Yuji and Shana.

* * *

Later that day, Sydonay leaned back on the rail of one of Sereiden's many high balconies. Three cigarette butts lay on the floor beneath him.

Before taking another cigarette from his pack, which sat on the rail next to him, he looked to the city below. At night, the city illuminated brightly, its light reflecting on the Thousand Changes' ever-present sunglasses. Even at night, the warmth and cheer of the populace below spread like fire in the cold winter evening.

"Even after so many ages, these humans have not changed," he muttered.

He reached into his pack of cigarettes and lit a stick before putting it in his mouth. All of a sudden, he started to feel a little dizzy, and he barely managed to stay on his feet. After a while, however, he regained his balance and the feeling of uneasiness seemed to have vanished.

"What was that?" he mumbled. But before he could try to solve what had just happened, the ghost of a person he had never expected to see again appeared before him.

"Beol Peol?!" he said in surprise as he took a stance and prepared to transform.

"Don't bother attacking me," said Beol Peol. "I'm already dead, so we can't even touch each other."

"Then why are you here?" Sydonay asked, still keeping up his guard.

"I came to deliver a warning, since you look so pitiful that I can't just ignore it," Beol Peol began. "Don't forget that you and I are similar. We had similar beginnings, and we both chased our own goals at the cost of others. Even on days like these, you can still become the wicked General I knew. You cannot run from yor fate, but I'd still love to see you struggle against it."

"So you're giving me a warning to make me feel even worse?" said Sydonay. "I always hated your psychological tricks. Just get it over with already."

"Tonight, you will be visited by three ghosts, and each of them will attempt to help you change your ways," Beol Peol continued. "If your heart does not heed them, your end will be even worse than mine. Have fun struggling."

With her message delivered, the Beol Peol faded away. Sydonay sighed as he leaned back on the rails.

"I don't know what the hell is going on, but spirits, just do whatever you want already," he said aloud.

The first spirit to appear took the form of none other than the Supreme Throne Hecate herself.

"Hecate?" Sydonay said, somewhat confused.

"I have only taken her shape, as will, the other two sprirts to come. In truth, I am the Ghost of Christmas Past," she said, even mimicing her monotone voice. "Come with me. We will revisit your memories."

She stretched a hand out to the Thousand Changes, who took it with his own. The two of them flew out of the palace and over the horizon. Their first destination was at a great land ruled by a mighty leader, even amongst Crimson Lords. They had travelled to Atlantis many millenia ago, while Sereiden was still a part of it and the Snake of the Festival was ruler of a kingdom where humans and Denizens first learned to co-exist.

"I remember this time," Sydonay said. "I was still young for a Denizen. The people seemed really happy even before then."

"Let us enter the palace," the Ghost of Christmas Past told Sydonay as the two flew into the still-grounded Sereiden.

Standing alone on a balcony, surveying the kingdom before him, was the General Sydonay, dressed in the finest armor with the figures of several mighty beasts engraved upon it.

"That was me when I ws young," the current Sydonay said. "I was a lone wolf even back then, as is the fate of a high ranking official in the Snake of the Festival's army. For people like me, there aren't much people of the same level, and if I ever met any, I usually fought them."

The Ghost of Christmas Past looked to the horizon. In the distance, she and the Thousand Changes could see a great number of Flame Haze approaching. Soon, Sydonay found himself quickly reliving the war between Denizens and Flame Haze which destroyed the kingdom of Atlantis.

"I always hated that day," Sydonay said.

When the battle had ended, the Ghost of Christmas Past pulled him into the main hall of a ruined Sereiden. There, he saw his past self, Beol Peol and the past Hecate gathered together.

"Since then, however, I became a little less of a lone wolf and a little more of a leader," said Sydonay. He looked at the past Hecate with sad eyes. "But she became lonelier than I, or anyone else did, and I resolved to try and take the Snake of the Festival's place as her father-figure."

"And she is grateful for that," said the Ghost of Christmas past. "As the years and ages past, although she still never got over her emptiness…"

She waved her hand and the scene changed to a time when Hecate and Sydonay stayed at a town at the base of a mountain. At the time, although they were collecting fragments of the Snake of the Festival, they had also found time to participate in a festival the town was having. The whole time, Sydonay did his best to help Hecate to enjoy herself, although to no avail.

"You were always there, like a father to his daughter," the Ghost of Christmas Past continued. "And while she had never gotten better until recently, you on the other hand had found more fulfillment in your long life."

Next, they flew over the world, trailing the Sydonay of the past as he worked for other Denizens as a powerful and feared bodyguard, ironically hunting down Flame Haze which proved too big a threat, and tearing down Outlaw bases.

"However, you wer still the General of Bal Masque," the Ghost of Christmas past told Sydonay. "You still had a reputation to keep, and jobs to do. And you always did them without a thought about the other side. The longer you stayed away from the closest person you had to a family, the more lives were ruined. You believe it cold not be helped, but in the end, there is still no excuse for bringing misfortune upon others, even on the happiest of days."

She led the Thousand Changes to one particular assault on an Outlaw base, one which had happened only a few years earlier, which had left a mark in the Thousand Changes' memory.

As the Sydonay of the past and his battalion of Denizens and Rinne still approached in the distance, the current Sydonay and the Ghost of Christmas Past peered through a window and into the Outlaw base. Rather than finding them seriously go about their work, Sydonay was surprised to see them enjoying themselves, exchanging gifts, and eating together. The place was even partially decorated for the occasion.

"Back then, even your enemies knew it was a time to be enjoyed with friends and loved ones," the Ghost of Christmas Past said.

As she finished speaking, Sydonay's attack force arrived and quickly laid waste to the once merry Outlaw. All of the laughter and cheer had quickly turned into cries, screams and roars of battle, which soon drowned into the night as the fight ended.

"Okay, I admit I was a jerk back then," said Sydonay. "But I was working with the bad guys at the time."

"There is still more," the Ghost of Christmas Past said, taking him back to Misaki City, but still at a different time in memory.

It was a certain Chrstmas Eve two years earlier. Sydonay found himself witnessing the incident with the Statue of Pride. And at the end of the fight, at the moment of their defeat, he looked at Hecate, who looked upon the ruins of the Statue with her first tears.

"It was at this point that things began to change for her, and you as well," the Ghost of Christmas Past said. "It was on this Christmas that Hecate had begun to question her life, comparing it to that of Fumina Konoe's, and it would eventually lead her to leaving Bal Masque. Following her defection, Bal Masque split into two, with your side fighting to stop Beol Peol from using her and making her suffer again."

The scene changed once more. They were still in Misaki City, but this time the Ghost had taken the Thousand Changes to a certain apartment, his own while he stayed with Dantalion. During this time, he had been watching over Hecate in secret.

Although he never liked his partner. As the Sydonay of that time looked out the window, a disguised Dantalion burst into the room with various holiday trinkets in his arms.

"These humans reeeeeeeeeeeeally know how to have fuuuuuuuuuuuun!" he yelled loudly. "Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis calls for another experimeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee—akgh!"

The Sydonay of the past suddenly grabbed him by the throat.

"Be quiet," he said. "Beol Peol can attack at any time, and the last thing I need is you screaming into my ears when we should be vigilant."

"Although you did what you had done out of love, you still found no joy or comfort in the mirth around you," the Ghost of Chrismas Past said. "You even resented it, believing it made those you guarded in secret weak and unaware. This may be partially true, but it is also partially false."

Soon enough, Sydonay found himself watching the battle against Bal Masque. Although the ones who had been celebrating in Konoe's mansion had not fully anticipated an attack, they fought with such unity and coordination that their defense was nearly unbreakable.

"Of all days, this was one when these people did not wish to lose anyone they loved," the Ghost of Christmas Past said. "They fought at their limits to protect each other's happiness on this day. Lamies, Kanaro Sakai and Fumina Konoe were even willing to give up everything to preserve the gift of life of those closest to them. Although they would all admit that this was their worst Christmas ever, it was still a time to share with friends and family. They still tried hard to be happy with one another. You, however, barely even spoke to anyone during this time, and only focused on that which you thought was most important at the time: winning the battle itself."

As the Ghost of Christmas Past spoke, Sydonay could not help but notice a tear trickle down her cheek.

"Don't you think you've showed me enough?" he said, his tone not bearing any spite, but possessed a hint sorrow.

The Ghost of Christmas Past nodded, and Sydonay found himself on Sereiden's balcony once more, in the present time. The Ghost of Christmas Past soon vanished, and another spirit appeared in the shape of Yuji Sakai.

"I'm the Ghost of Christmas Present," he said, mimicing his form's warm smile. He too reached out to the ancient Crimson Lord. "Please come with me."

Sydonay took his hand and the sprit led him off the balcony. As the two flew high over the city below, the looked down to the people. Even at this time of night, the streets were littered with families, couples and groups of friends, all going to various places to celebrate together, be they human, Flame Haze, Denizen or Rinne, or any combination of the four at the same time. They also flew right through the buildings, emerging through the walls unharmed, as if both of them were ghosts, and no one saw them either, not even the most sensetive of Denizens and Flame Haze. Everywhere they went, be they homes, offices or stores, they were all filled with the spirit of Christmas.

"As you can see, this is a time for everyone to spent time with one another and be happy together," the Ghost of Christmas Present told Sydonay.

As they flew over the streets again, they spotted a certain bespectacled young couple. They were holding hands, but more likely because the girl was dragging the boy around. Indeed, the two of them were none other than Fujita and Ike, who had gone out after helping out in Sereiden.

Fujita, with inexhaustible energy, dragged her boyfriend here and there. Normally, Ike would have been very reluctant and easily become weary, but today he was different. Indeed, for an entire week, he willingly let her do whatever she wanted with him, even if it would kill him.

"Even he wouldn't let certain other feelings get in the way of both him and his girlfriend from being happy," the Ghost of Christmas Present said as he began to pick up speed.

Before he knew it, Sydonay discovered that he had somehow ended up in New York City within a few seconds. Even there, the holiday spirit was no weaker than in Japan, or in any part of the world for that matter.

"What are we doing here?" Sydonay asked the spirit next to him.

"To check up on your other friends," the Ghost of Christmas Present said with a smile.

He took him to a certain base of a branch of the Eternal Alliance and found themselves in a rare treat. The ancient Khamsin, Leanan-sidhe and even East Edge went about decorating the place with some help from their allied Denizens, Flame Haze, humans and Rinne. Lorelei, Lawin and Jean soon entered the room with some food, for which everyone gathered around them for. The whole time, Khamsin and Leanan-sidhe were smiling cheerfully, truly appearing like merry little children.

"So even old guys like them can still be cheery like this, when they're with the ones closest to them," Sydonay noted.

"Now you're beginning to get it," the Ghost of Christmas Present said as he took him back to Misaki City and Sereiden at astonishing speeds.

Instead of landing on the balcony of the palace, however, they phased through the wall, still like phantoms. The two glided through the hallway, watching as everyone finished decorating. As they passed through the kitchen, they saw Pheles and Chigusa panicking to help Wilhelmina put out a blazing, out-of-control fire in her pot. In the next room, Kantaro and Johan had a drink together while the former, holding his own baby in his arms, gave the Mystes more advice on being a father. In the main celebration hall, Dantalion and the Domino Rinne finished things up, although much of their work was lopsided, as they were as well. They were all still singing horribly, as if they were worse than tone deaf. Even the Ghost of Christmas couldn't stop himself from sweatdropping.

And in another room, Margery, Keisaku, Eita and Ogata sat in a circle. The Chanter of Elegies, as usual, was hopelessly wasted, but so was Keisaku, albeit to a lesser extent.

"Okay, okay, guess who I am," she said as she placed a straw in her mouth and placed her hands in her sidepockets, mimicking a certain rugged person with a heavy aura, although it suddenly changed into a perverted expression. "Alright, where are those lolis?" she even added.

"Oh, I know, you're Pedonay!" said a very drunk Keisaku.

Eita put a hand over his face. Ogata just giggled.

"Is there any point to this?" Sydonay asked the spirit beside him in an exasperated tone.

"I guess not," the Ghost of Christmas Present said, somewhat embarrassed. "I was actually hoping you'd see that togetherness in times of happiness can change anyone, even someone like you or her, a battle-crazy lone wolf, no pun intended."

"Then next time you should pick a better example to watch," Sydonay suggested.

With their trip over, the Ghost and the Thousand Changes returned to the balcony, with the latter fully tangible again.

"Has your heart accepted yet?" the Ghost of Christmas Present asked.

Sydonay shook his head. "I still think it's a waste of time," he said. "Peace and happiness like this won't last unless someone continues to work and fight for it everyday."

"But how can you expect to see peace on earth when you are always watching out for war?" the Ghost of Christmas Present said as he began to fade away. "Beware, the final spirit won't be as gentle as the first two."

Moments after he had disappeared into thin air, the third spirit appeared in the form of a dark-haired Shana, wearing her black cape. While the first sprit bore no expression, and the second one had a warm smile to him, the third one possessed a burning glare.

"Lemme guess, you're the Ghost of Christmas Future," Sydonay said calmly. "So, what are you gonna--?"

Suddenly, without warning, the Ghost of Chrismas Future delivered a swift kick to Sydonay's gut that knocked him clear off the balcony's rails. As he flew through the air, the Thousand Changes attempted to stablize himself and fly, but somehow he couldn't.

After plummeting from a long height, the Thousand Changes landed face-first on hard gravel. After recovering from the pain, he picked himself up and looked around him in astonishment.

All around him, the city was in ruins, and a great dark cloud loomed over the entire country, if not the whole world. Barely any presence remained in the area, and they were approaching him slowly from various directions.

"That damn bastard should have just stayed here than gone out to beat those remaining rogues into submission," Keisaku said with a grim look.

"We needed him, and we had to stay together, especially on that day," Kantaro said. "How could he have not seen that?"

"And now Yu-chan, Shana-chan, and nearly everyone in this city is dead," Chigusa said, clutching her husband's arm in sorrow. "If only he stayed for that one day, this wouldn't have happened."

"At least he deserved his fate," said the one person Sydonay would never had expected, Hecate. "He used to be a father to me, but I see now that he never changed from the heartless General he was."

"Don't tell me, I died?" Sydonay said in shock.

The Ghost of Christmas Future approached him from behind slowly b ut menacingly.

"Yes, in battle, and your death was very humiliating rather than anything else," she said. "No one came to your side, and you were overcome too easily."

"But I can change, right?" Sydonay said as he looked behind to the spirit. "If I can accept Christmas, all this can still be avoided."

Crimson flames suddenly exploded from the Ghost of Christmas Future, forcing the Thousand Changes to tremble in fear, a feeling he rarely felt.

"It's already too late," the spirit said with a heavy and powerful voice as her hair and eyes blazed like the fires of hell itself. "You have already shown that you are not capable of unity if you cannot be with anyone at the time it is wanted most."

As she spoke, the entire area all around Sydonay was engulfed in scorching flames.

"Alright, alright!" Sydonay yelled as he put up his arms. "I yield already! You win!"

The Ghost of Christmas Future made a small grin. And in the next moment, as Sydonay regained himself, he found himself in his chambers. A shaft of sunlight shone through his window. It was morning.

"Heh, who would have thought I could ever get a nightmare like that?" the Thousand Changes said to himself.

* * *

That day, most of Sereiden's residents gathered in the main celebration hall, doing what should already be obvious to everyone. Happy greetings and song filled the air, gifts were exchanged, and the light of the Christmas tree warmed all hearts and shone brightly in a hall once dark in the past. The scent of delicious food called out to everyone, although a few particular dishes were avoided like the plague.

Catching most of the celebrants at unawares, a large reindeer burst through the main doors with a sack on its back. That same reindeer quickly hanged into a man, who lost no time in giving a loud, booming greeting.

"Merry Christmas everyone!"

Everyone was still frozen in shock and confusion, but it quickly turned into even livelier mirth as Sydonay joined the party. He began to hand out gifts he had gotten at the last minute, starting with Dantalion of all people.

As he handed a drill-shaped present, he patted the Seeking Researcher on the shoulder. "Merry Christmas buddy," he said.

As Sydonay approached the others, Dantalion looked at him, completely baffled. "Has he gone maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad?!" he exclaimed.

After giving his present to Yuji, Shana and, of course, Hecate, he whispered to them.

"Thanks for last night," he said.

"What are you talking about?" Yuji said, feigning ignorance.

"Who else could have used her mastery of long-range Synchronization to msuch a degree? And don't think I haven't read that story, after all, I've lived for thousands of years," said Sydonay. "But still, it's one thing to read or watch about it, and an other to live through it yourself. Merry Christmas you guys."

As he mingled with Margery, Wilhelmina and Johan, Yuji and Hecate watched him with smiles on their faces.

"I told you you shouldn't have followed the book too accurately," Shana said with a small frown, which suddenly changed to a happy smile as she held the two next to her. "But I'm still proud of you."

"But in the end, it was you who was most convincing," said Hecate, retaining her monotone.

"Yeah, you can be pretty scary," Yuji added. "Your part was really fitting."

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

The festivities continued from the morning to the afternoon until long into the night. And although by then many were tired, they continued to party like never before. It was a rare time for peace on Earth, a time meant for being together with those you love while you still can.

Fujita, who although was invited by Ike, still had no idea where she was or how she got there. She suddenly spoke out for a reason she could not fathom even after the party.

"God bless us, everyone!"

* * *

Meanwhile, deep within an undiscovered tomb in Egypt, Yuri approached Merihim, carrying a small package in his hands.

"Mr. Merihim, Me--," he was about to say as he stretched the gift out to him, but the white haired man knocked it away.

"How can you still be so childish?" he said coldly. "What use are gifts for the dead?"

The horned, cloaked female of their group appeared behind Yuri as he picked up the fallen package.

"Do you have to be so hard on him?" she scolded. Merihim didn't even react when she spoke her threat. "Don't make me use _that story_ on you."

She looked at her other comrade. Under the shadow of her cowl, a gentle smile emerged.

"I'll be happy to accept that gift if he would not want it," she said tenderly. "Merry Christmas."


	2. Dog's Day Out

Happy New Year everyone! XD

**Note:** Every character needs some attention, even the very minor ones who are barely noticed.

**Note:** Around this time, Ike and Fujita still haven't gotten together.

I really like this filler. Hope you enjoy it too! And please review.

* * *

The sun shone high above as Ike ascended up the hill to the grave of Kazumi Yoshida. There, he was surprised to find another person standing before the stone cross in the likeness of Giralda.

"Johan-san, what are you doing here?" the young man asked the Mystes. As he spoke, he couldn't help but notice some daffodils and a basket of bread placed at the base of the tombstone.

"I've decided to visit this place every one or two months," Johan replied as he walked towards Ike. "It's the least I could do to make it up to her."

As the Mystes passed by him, Ike turned around to speak again.

"I heard about what really happened to her, and personally, I hold you responsible," he said. "But only for the most part of it. Yoshida-san wouldn't blame you for something she chose to risk herself for. And she wouldn't want a friend of hers tearing himself up because of her. So just go back to the same cheerful self that you were, and keep protecting her other friends. That's the best you could do for her."

Johan looked over his shoulder with a smile. "You know what, you're right. Thanks," he said, "though it still might not be easy to forgive myself." He gave the human boy a wave before descending the hill. "Anyway, see you around."

As the Mystes left, Ike approached the grave and knelt before it. If Johan would come here on a monthly basis, he came here once or twice a week.

"Hey Yoshida-san, it's me again," he said solemnly. "It's already been a whole month since you died. The others seem to have gotten over your passing away, although some of them still have a hard time, especially Johan-san, Sakai, Shana-chan and Heca-tan. Fujita-san's been dragging me around a lot less often; apparently she's more sympathetic than I thought. School's been going on normally again too, and that flower vase we put on your desk is still there. Sakai's also told me that they did something similar with your seat in that flying palace's council chamber, and are even planning on making a memorial for you and all the others who sacrificed themselves in that recent battle."

He took off his glasses as tears began to fall from his eyes.

"Although they don't show it, many of your friends still remember you, and they miss you," he said. "I also miss you…"

* * *

_**Dog's Day Out

* * *

**_

As Eita and Ogata walked through one of the many corridors within Sereiden, their ears picked up the sound of metal banging on metal, energies charging up, and overly exaggerated maniacal laughter close by. If they weren't followed by a thud or a "shut up" by someone else, it could only mean one thing.

"That freak is working in the lab by himself again," Ogata with alarm said as they picked up the pace and rushed to the lab.

"He shouldn't be doing experiments unsupervised," Eita said as he raced beside her. "Come to think of it, it was my turn to watch him today."

Ogata smirked. "Typical of you to forget," she said.

When Eita kicked the thick metallic doors of the lab open, they discovered that Dantalion had already completed some large, strange type of ray gun. It was aimed right at a cockroach inside a glass case.

"Ah, just in time to witness my fantaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa--!"

Without warning, Eita rushed to tackle the mad scientist, when Domino 28 suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was taken down instead.

"What are you doing?!" Eita yelled in surprise. "You were supposed to make sure he didn't cause trouble for anyone, including himself."

"He had me distracted with something else," Domino replied in a panicked and embarrassed tone. "Just now, I actually tried to tackle him when you got me from behind."

As the two hastily struggled to get back on their feet, Dantalion's ray gun charged up and spell circles and insignias appeared at the tip of the barrel.

"Stop!" Eita yelled as he finally got back up again. "Who knows what'll happen?!"

"Please listen to him master!" Domino pleaded.

But all of Dantalion's attention was on his experiment. He didn't even hear them, and was probably even unaware of their presence in the room, until Ogata, who had rushed at the Seeking Researcher when her boyfriend had missed, grabbed him.

The two wrestled. Dantalion randomly stretched his hands with the ray gun away from his opponent in an attempt to keep it away from her. Before Ogata could snatch it away from him, the ray gun fired, and a crooked beam of light flew out through an open window and curved to the city below.

Ogata grabbed Dantalion by the collar. Her face was filled with panic.

"What was that thing supposed to do?!" she asked.

"I have absolutely no idea," Dantalion calmly said with a crazed grin. "But it should have been inrceeeeeeeeeeeeeeee--!"

Ogata slapped his face to shut him up. She turned to her boyfriend.

"What do we do?" she said. "We'll all be in trouble if something horrible happens."

"How about we find whoever or whatever was hit by that ray before things get out of hand?" Eita quickly said. "Then we could take it back here before anyone notices."

"Good enough!" Ogata said as she dragged the Seeking Researcher out the lab, with Eita quickly following behind. Domino was left alone to clean up the mess of a lab, as usual.

* * *

Down in Misaki City, in the yard of a certain house, a certain small dog owned by a certain family was suddenly hit by a strange, crooked ray. Before she knew it, her front claws grew fingers as her paw developed into a hand. She gradually stood on only her hind legs as they became longer and her feet grew toes and became more like those of humans. All of her brown fur had also shed off, exposing smooth, fair skin. The only hair remaining was those on the top of her head, which had lengthened a bit. As her ears and nose shortened while her eyes widened, she was suddenly able to see in color, although her sense of smell and hearing had weakened dramatically. Her tail, however, still remained as it was, though it was too short for notice to begin with.

Fortunately, no one had seen the transformation from dog to human thanks to the tall fence around the yard. The family who owned the dog were also away.

"W-what just happened?" the dog turned human asked herself. "Wait, am I speaking human Japanese? What's going on? And what's this drafty feeling?"

She looked towards a glass door and saw a short, flat-chested, short-haired girl who appeared 12 or 14 years old reflected on it. She soon realized that it was her. And when she looked down at her body she turned red in the face for a reason she could not understand. But she immediately knew why she suddenly felt cold. She no longer hade fur, and she wasn't wearing anything at all, save for a collar around her neck.

Trusting her newfound human instincts and gut feelings, she entered the house and entered the room of a girl who was once her master. She randomly picked out some underwear, a white skirt which hid her short tail, and a yellow blouse and wore them. As she did all these things, she was constantly fascinated by her apposable thumbs and the colors she had never seen before.

Then she left the house, still confused at what had happened to her. Perhaps she wanted to look for some answers, or what she probably wanted was to experience what humans enjoyed, or maybe she wanted to find her best friend who had not been home for such a long period of time.

In her excitement, she ran down the street until she bumped tripped and fell flat on her face.

"Are you alright?" said a male voice as the dog-turned-human picked herself up and rubbed her nose.

She looked up to see Sydonay lending a hand out to her. She took it without hesitation.

_She's really cute!_ Sydonay thought as he helped her up. _Could I have been blessed with another chance at bliss?_

He also somehow felt a familiar connection with her, it was a feeling he usually had when he worked with and studied animals. But the feeling only drew him more to the girl.

"The name's Sydonay," he said, trying to appear cool yet gentlemanly. "May I ask your name?"

"A name?" the girl repeated. She thought for a while, then remembered what she had usually been called.

"I'm Ekaterina," she said.

"Ekaterina…" Sydonay repeated. "It's such a cute name."

Ekaterina was about to continue on when Sydonay grabbed her by the hand.

"It's a little dangerous to go around alone," he said. "There are perverts and other such menaces in this city."

"It's alright," Ekaterina said cheerfully. "I know my way around as much as my best friend. We always went on walks together, and had lots of fun."

"Um," Sydonay said, blushing a bit. "Would you care to take a walk with me one of these days?"

"Sure," Ekaterina said innocently.

"Can we meet at the park tomorrow at 2?" Sydonay said, getting all excited inside.

"Alright," said Ekaterina, though at this point she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. "Bye-bye."

"Bye-bye," Sydonay said while waving as Ekaterina ran through the streets.

"Look at that perverted face. It's even worse than when you're drunk, my lovely goblet, Margery Daw," said Marcosias.

Sydonay turned to see Margery and Keisaku walking in his direction.

"We saw the whole thing you lolicon," said Margery.

Keisaku chuckled. "Yeah, nice job there Pedonay," he teased.

Sydonay became a little pink in the face. "W-well, since when has age ever mattered for people like us?" he said. "I mean, look at you two."

"Whatever you say Pedonay," Margery said as she and Keisaku, struggling not to laugh, continued walking.

"Grr, stop calling me that!" he yelled as he chased the partners in crime.

* * *

"I know I said it was a good enough idea."

"Yeah."

"But I just realized, how the heck are we gonna find something weird in an entire city full of weirdoes?!"

Eita and Ogata, with Dantalion, stood in the midst of a multitude of people going about their own business. Most of the people around them were humans, but a few were either Flame Haze, Denizens or Rinne. Indeed, finding an anomaly caused by Dantalion's experiment in this kind of city was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack mixed with pins.

* * *

After walking for some time, Ekaterina slowed down as she heard a growl in her stomach.

She giggled. "I've always wondered what human food tastes like," she said.

She looked around and quickly spotted a store with various bread lining the windows. Without another thought, she entered the bakery and grabbed a handful of bread, even spilling a few of them in the process. A moment later, she quickly scarfed some of them down.

"You must be really hungry," said a beautiful blonde-haired woman who apparently ran the bakery. Under her apron was a bulging tummy.

"Indeed, her hunger for your bread may be on par with Shana's," said a pink-haired woman in a maid's outfit who was helping the blonde-haired woman.

"Hay, I noe oou," Ekaterina cheerfully said with her mouth full. She swallowed before continuing. "You're Pheles-san and Carmel-san."

Pheles and Wilhelmina looked at each other, somewhat confused.

"Indeed do we know you?" Wilhelmina asked.

"I'm not sure," said Ekaterina. "But my best friend talks about you sometimes, and I think we rarely met when the two of us go on walks together."

"Who is your best friend anyway?" Pheles asked.

"And will the bread be purchased by you?" said Tiamat in monotone before Ekaterina could answer.

Awkward silence followed. Ekaterina still bore a clueless expression on her face.

* * *

After a while, Eita, Ogata and Dantalion searched the suburbs.

"This is going nowhere," Ogata said wearily.

Eita glanced at a GPS-like tracker in Dantalion's hands.

"Hey, how does that thing work?" he asked.

"I think it's supposed to trace manipulated Power of Existence," Dantalion said. "Like when someone uses an Unrestricted Method."

"An Unrestricted Method, huh?" Eita said. "Did that ray of yours count as an Unrestricted Method?"

"Probably," said the mad scientist. "Oh how I'd love to see its awesooooooooooooooooooooome results!"

Eita turned to his girlfriend.

"Hey, do you still have that lightbulb Hougu you brought during that trip to the mountains last year?" he asked.

"The time you guys tried to peep on us?" said Ogata. Eita nodded, a little embarrassed.

From her pocket she produced the Hougu. "I take it with me sometimes, though we usually don't need it since our Flame Haze and Denizen friends--and especially guys like Sakai-kun and Johan-san--are better at sensing things like Unrestricted Methods."

She gave Eita the Hougu. "What are you planning anyway?" she said.

"I have a hunch that this might amplify this guy's tracker," said Eita.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," said Ogata.

Dantalion and Eita tried it anyway, and got instant results.

"Are you sure that's the place?" said Eita.

"Sure as sure can beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" said Dantalion.

Eita quickly grabbed a dumbstruck Ogata by the hand and rushed towards the marked coordinates.

* * *

"Indeed, that was ventriloquism," said Wilhelmina. "But are you going to pay for that bread?"

Ekaterina tilted her head. "Pay?" she said curiously. "What's that?"

Wilhelmina and Pheles were surprised yet again.

"Don't insult us little girl," Pheles said with a cold voice. "How can you not know what exchange is?"

"Indeed, she must be trying to eat and run," said Wilhelmina.

"W-what's going on?" said Ekaterina fearfully as she stepped back. She could feel the air in the store suddenly get heavier. "What did I do? Did I do something wrong?"

As she began to tear and whimper, a bespectacled young man entered the bakery for a meat bun.

"What's going on here?" he said.

Ekaterina turned to the young man and recognized him immediately.

"Ike!" she said as she suddenly glomped him. "Please help me. These mean people are bullying me."

"Uh, do I know you?" Ike said. "And what do you mean 'bullying you'?"

"She says she does not understand what it means to buy bread," said Pheles. "We think she's just trying to eat and run."

"Thief," said Tiamat.

Ike looked down at the girl with her arms wrapped tightly around his torso. Somehow, he felt something familiar about her, as if there was something that reminded him of a certain someone once close to him.

Defying logic and common sense and being guided by feeling alone, for once, he spoke.

"Let me pay for her," he said as he took out his wallet. "How much?"

Pheles punched up the numbers, causing Ike to turn a little pale. After doing as he had promised, he took Ekaterina outside.

"Alright, I'm taking you to your home before you get into more trouble," he said.

"What? But I have to find my best friend first," said Ekaterina. "She hasn't been home for many, many days."

Ike's eyes widened a little. "So you're looking for your friend, whom you live with, and won't go home until she does?" he said. Ekaterina nodded. "Then I guess I'll just have to help you then," Ike said with a sigh.

As Ike and Ekaterina walked away from the bakery, Wilhelmina watched them, from the door.

"Indeed, why did you suddenly speak?" she asked her contractor.

"Faint manipulated Power of Existence," said Tiamat. "Assumed Denizen or Rinne."

"That's possible indeed," said Wilhelmina. "But indeed, Denizens and Rinne do not feel hunger for human food. And they should also know the basics of human culture."

* * *

Meanwhile, back with Eita, Ogata and Dantalion, the three had managed to infiltrate a certain home, which was still devoid of residents. Getting in was easy, as the gate was wide open.

"The readings are going crazy here," Eita said as he checked the tracker and followed it toward a certain spot in the yard.

"Hey, this place is Yo--," Ogata was about to say, when Dantalion rudely and loudly interrupted.

"This is iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" he yelled before receiving a blow to the face by two fists with either belonging to each of his fellow investigators. The mad scientist fell down to the ground head-first.

"Be quiet!" Ogata said. "Keep it down!" said Eita.

Ogata glanced at the tracker and quickly snatched it to get a closer look.

"You found something?" Eita asked her.

"How could you not see it? Look at the tracker again, there's a faint trace of the same signature here going into the city," Ogata replied.

"So whatever was hit must have gone into the city," said Eita.

"That's right," Ogata said.

"But if whatever was hit by that ray was transformed or something, we would have heard from at least one of our friends or from the Dominos constantly observing the Haridan for threats or abnormalities," Eita continued.

"Yes, that is puzzling," said Ogata. "That ray should have mutated a human, yet we haven't heard from anyone anywhere."

Eita glanced at the gate, as well as the front and side doors of the house. "No one's here right now, so that should be locked," he said, going closer to examine the glass side door. "We can also rule out any humans being turned into an animal, since any kind of animal won't be able to open any of these without leaving some sort of scratch."

Ogata put a hand on her head. "Ah, my head hurts," she said. "If only Sakai-kun, his dad or Johan-san were around."

"But we can't always rely on them to always figure things out for us," said Eita. "But yeah, this _is_ tough."

Dantalion sat up. "What if an animal got turned into a human?" he said. "That would be !"

"That's the craziest thing I've ever heard," said Ogata.

"Then again, this was _his_ experiment we're talking about," said Eita.

Ogata looked at Eita in the face, then whipped out her cellphone.

"What are you doing?" asked Eita.

"Calling for backup," she said. "We don't even know what _she_ looks like as a human, but our friends might be able to find that kind of abnormality."

"Weren't we doing this because we were going to be in trouble with them?" said Eita.

"Idiot! We'll be in even bigger trouble if we let this get out of hand," she said as she dialed the first number, Hecate's.

* * *

"So, can you describe your best friend to me?" Ike asked Ekaterina.

"Sure," she responded cheerfully. "She's a girl."

"That's it?" Ike said with an exasperated tone. "There are thousands of girls in this city! Can you give me a little more detail?"

"Okay," said Ekaterina, still cheerfully dense. "She's a very kind, loving and caring girl. She loves her friends very much, and is always thinking about them. She takes very good care of me. She's a good cook. She never gives up, even when she is sad, and tries to be strong when she's down. And her scent is very good, like smelling flowers."

Ike felt like tripping. "Uh, can you tell me what she _looks _like_?"_

"Ah, she looks like a girl."

"I already know that! How old is she?"

"I think she's a teenager."

"And what else?"

"She's kind of petite, she has big eyes, smooth fair skin and shoulder-length hair."

"Hair and eye color?"

"Absolutely no idea! I was colorblind until today."

"How can you suddenly lose colorblindness?!"

"No idea. Oh yeah, she also had the massive melon-like things on her chest."

Ike's eyes widened greatly in surprise. "Y-you mean boobs right?" he said with a nervous, embarrassed voice. "Sh-she has h-huge boobs?"

"Whatever those things are called, yep!" said the oblivious Ekaterina.

Ike put a hand on his face. "Oh boy, this doesn't help at all," he said wearily.

"Oh, and just before she left, she gave me big hug and cuddled me," Ekaterina continued. "Then she said something like 'please take care of my friends if I don't ever return.' But I just know she'll return. She's my best friend."

"That doesn't help either," said Ike. Yet somehow, an old memory from about a month ago was stirring in his mind.

For a moment, in suspicion, he pieced together the descriptions of Ekaterina's friend as well as the fact that she, as well as Ekaterina, knew him and his supernatural friends.

"Nah, it can't be possible," Ike said as he brushed all assumptions from his head.

As they passed through a street near a park, a butterfly suddenly flew in front of Ekaterina, who instantly reacted by chasing it. A moment later, she tripped and fell, and her skirt flew up. At that moment, Ike found decisive evidence to conclude what was going on.

Under the skirt and on top of her panties was a short dog's tail.

* * *

Ogata's news about their accident and its results quickly spread to some of their friends, and once Wilhelmina passed her knowledge of the suspicious girl she had met earlier to Shana and Yuji, the Mystes made a call of his own.

As for, Margery and Keisaku, they just sat this crisis out and stayed at home, in the bar. Neither could stop laughing.

"Poor Sydonay," said Margery. "As if being a lolicon was bad enough, now he's chasing after puppies! I really hope the others don't tell him like we asked."

"That is so wrong on so many levels," said Keisaku.

"He's very busy right now, so it might not be good idea to bother him," Marcosias said, repeating the exact words Margery had said to her friends. "You're cruel, my merciless, head-shooting cupid, Margery Daw."

* * *

As the sun set over Misaki, Ike, taking Ekaterina by the hand, let her to a graveyard.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"I know where your best friend is," said Ike as he brought her up a hill.

Soon, they were standing right before a grave with a stone cross.

"Hey, that looks like the cross my best friend used to wear on a necklace," said Ekaterina.

Ike bowed his head a bit. "That confirms it then," he said.

"So, where is my best friend?" said Ekaterina, losing her cheer. "You said you would take me to her."

"I did," said Ike.

Ekaterina looked at the grave for a long while. "I don't understand," she said.

Ike put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry to say this, but Kazumi Yoshida, your best friend, won't be coming home ever again," he said as a single tear fell from his eyes.

Ekaterina stepped back. Her eyes began to water. "Liar," she said. "You're lying!"

She tried to run away, but Ike quickly grabbed her by the arm. She looked back with watery eyes.

"Believe me, I know exactly how you feel," he said. "But it's the truth."

He released his grip and Ekaterina fell to her knees sobbing. Tears flowed from her eyes like rivers.

"So she really is gone," said Ekaterina. "Now I'll be lonely, and I won't have any more reason to exist!"

Ike knelt down before her and put his hand on her head reassuringly.

"That's not true," he said with a warm smile. "She wanted you to take care of her friends, right? We'll take care of you too."

He patted her head and she looked up to his face, then rammed herself into his chest to cry.

As she mourned for her master, the spell on Ekaterina began to wore off. She began to shrink, and fur began to return. Her face was also becoming more canine-like again.

Suddenly, Ike's phone vibrated. He took it out of his pocket and, after seeing that it was from Yuji, answered the call.

"Yeah Sakai," he responded. "What? Oh, I know. Yes, she's right here with me. But you don't have to worry about a thing."

In his arms now lay a small brown dog covered in clothes too big for it to wear.

As evening fell, Ike folded the clothes the dog had been wearing as a human and placed them at Kazumi's grave.

"Even your dog misses you very much," he said before leaving with Ekaterina walking beside him.

* * *

The next day, Ike approached Kazumi's parents, who were moving away from the city that day, as they no longer had a reason to stay now that their daughter was gone. Ike requested to keep Ekaterina, and her owners approved, feeling that it would be what their late daughter would want. Also, the day before, they had seen Ekaterina following him home, and had seen how fond she had grown to the boy.

Hearing the news, Ekaterina ran and leaped into Ike's arms with a decorated notebook in its mouth. Concealed close by, Yuji, Pheles and Eita watched.

"All's well that ends well," said Pheles, whose lover was running the bakery at the moment. Yuji nodded.

"Though what were the chances that ray would hit her of all things, and have that kind of effects?" said Eita.

As Ike took the notebook, Ekaterina

"Call it fate?" said Yuji. "By the way, what happened to that experimental ray gun?"

"And who's watching the Seeking Researcher?" asked Pheles.

"As soon as we got back, we smashed the ray gun," Eita answered. "And Matake's watching him today."

* * *

At that moment, in Sereiden's lab, Dantalion picked up a screwdriver with one hand and a strange indefinable tool in the other. Before he could even yell maniacally, he was knocked down by a blow to the back of the head with a large paper fan wielded by Ogata.

"Don't even think about it," she said. "We've had enough trouble from you for a year."

* * *

As Ike left for his own home, Ekaterina followed him with her tail wagging happily, Yuji, Pheles and Eita took a last glance at them before heading back as well.

"Actually, it was supposed to be Sydonay-san's turn today, but he said he had a date," Eita continued.

"Why do I have a feeling that won't end well for him?" said Yuji.

* * *

Later, at around 10:00 at night, Sydonay still sat in wait on a park bench, waiting for his date. Tears and mucus poured out of his eyes and nose.

"She's not coming, is she?" he mumbled.


End file.
